3 NPA members captured in Zamboanga del Norte encounter

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Government troops captured three insurgents, including two females, following an encounter Friday morning in the hinterland of Sergio Osmeña Sr. town, Zamboanga del Norte, according to the ground military commander.

The combined troops from the 97th and 42nd Infantry Battalions (IBs) launched the combat operation following tips from the civilian community. They encountered 15 rebels of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Nazareth.

Lt. Col. Nolasco Coderos, commanding officer of 97th IB, said a firefight erupted for 10 minutes that left three of the NPA members wounded and prompted the rest of the rebels to escape towards different directions.

"This encounter was a result of a report by a concerned resident about the presence of an unidentified armed group near their Sitio in Barangay Nazareth,” Coderos said.

The military official said no casualties were reported from their troops.

Coderos said the troops immediately conducted a clearing operation and found the three wounded rebels in the encounter site.

"After clearing the encounter site, our troops found CTG (communist terrorists group). Two of them were slightly wounded,” Coderos said.

The troops immediately provided first aid and transported them to the battalion’s designated casualty collection point where a military ambulance was deployed. The wounded rebels were subsequently brought to the nearest hospital for further treatment.

The wounded rebels were identified as: Antonia Morato alias "Celing" or "Olay", 57, a platoon medic; Rosalinda Saberon alias "Nida" or "Meddy", 53, both under Baking Squad 1; and Villamor Galleon alias "Badong" or "Loloy", 64, of Team Abe of Squad 2, Guerilla Front BBC of Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC).

The troops confiscated four cellphone units, recovered 11 rounds of ammunition for caliber .45 pistol, solar panel batteries, two spare cellphone batteries, chargers, food stuff, documents described to be with high intelligence value and other personal belongings.